Pressure Cooker/Canner Buying Tips

Buying a pressure cooker canner can at first seem like a pretty simple process. You find one you like and just buy it. While that is certainly an option, without knowing what type or size of pressure cooker or pressure canner is right for you, it may be a mistake to simply grab the first one you come across. Here's some quick tips and help for getting the right pressure cooker/canner for you and your particular needs.

Am I Better Off With An Aluminum Or Stainless Steel Pressure Canner/Cooker?

There are some good advantages to aluminum pressure cookers that convinced me years ago to go this route. They heat more uniformly than stainless steel and are a little less heavier to handle. Another advantage is in their lower cost.

Stainless steel pressure cookers/canners are more costly, but hold their color very well. The biggest issue with stainless is that they do not heat as well as you might like. The best tip here is if you want to go the stainless route, be sure to look for one that has a layered base with aluminum as the cooking surface. It will help tremendously.

It's worth noting that both types of pressure cookers are very durable and will work great for many years. In fact, your pressure cooker can be handed down to others in your family as the years go by.

What Size Of Pressure Cooker/Canner Do I Need?

This is a common question due to the many different sizes available. You can find them in sizes ranging from as low as 10 quarts all the way up to 40 or more quarts. It can be confusing to know just which one is best.

My best advice here is to go with a 10 or 15-quart model if you have a small family or it is just the two of you. A 25-quart model works well with large or extended families. If you have a good sized garden you may want to go with a larger size or pressure cooker/canner like this. Finally, a 40-quart model is ideal for pressure canning all types of meats and larger quantities of vegetables or fruits to share with a larger group of family members, friends, church members, etc.

Which Brand Of Pressure Canner/Cooker Should I Buy?

That brings you to perhaps the biggest question, which brand should I go with? Through the years there have been many different brands of pressure canner/cookers come and go, but only one that I use myself and can highly recommend to anyone... and that is the All American Pressure Canner/Cooker. Click here to read our reviews on the different models from All American.

I say that for many reasons. First, it is American made and built to very high quality standards and has all of the features you could want in a pressure cooker canner. If you ever have the need to replace a part, you'll find they have all of pressure cooker parts in stock for each model to send out to you immediately. If you've ever had a small appliance that you needed a part for, then you know firsthand how much this means to you. Beyond that, the customer support is excellent as well.

These 3 tips will help you make your best decision in selecting the right type of pressure cooker.